


Unwanted Visits

by Kariachi



Category: Ben 10 Series
Genre: Alien Culture, Alternate Universe, And Kevin Would Back Them Up, Gen, Mike Will Go Through A Redemption Arc If His Family Has To Kill Him, Mike-For His Part-Will Be A Shit So Help Him Gods, Operation: Let The Plumber Brats Know Each Other, Osmosians Exist, Turns Out Cousins Are Annoying Everywhere, UAF Complaince
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 08:02:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27690029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kariachi/pseuds/Kariachi
Summary: Mike is suffering enough, thank you, being stuck under house arrest with family distant enough hisgrandmothernever met them, he does not deserve to also have to deal with Levin.
Kudos: 4





	Unwanted Visits

Being a logical sort (who’d had a lot of time to steam over the matter) Mike understood that taking charge of the situation and shipping him off to Osmos V had been the kindest option. Most everybody had wanted to hand him off to the Plumbers- had even cited the idea that handing him over to his family was too lenient of a punishment, as if he hadn’t just spent six months held captive by a madwoman alongside a genocidal asshole. As if there was anything _lenient_ about an Osmosian clan with their reputation on the line. As if the Plumbers could be trusted. Mike knew perfectly well what happened when you trusted the galactic justice system- you ended up with Osmosian chicks being kept illegally, you ended up with slave labor, you ended up with people brushing off the whole thing because ‘the Plumbers are the good guys’. A repeat of Incarcecon was not exactly on his Christmas list, so really, reasonably, he knew he should’ve been grateful. _Immensely_ grateful.

That did not mean he wanted to be within even a mile of Levin.

But then he wasn’t exactly getting much choice in the matter. The only reason he’d been able to get him into Osmosian custody in the first place was because Levin was of the Imperial clan, that he had close ties to all the royal clans through that, that he was a fucking _Hero_ , and all that meant that when he said ‘I’m coming out to check on Mike’ the entire Fane clan had gone into a tizzy to prepare their dens and their small cousin for the visit. People that important did not come to visit- Mike’s human relatives may have been wealthy and high class but the Osmosian side were small scale farmers- and with the blow to their good reputation Mike’s behavior had been, they took no risks.

When Kevin arrived the walls of the dens had shone, the livestock had looked better than Mike’d ever seen them, literally everyone was decked out in gems of the clan’s colors, and Mike himself was fresh from his seventh lesson in ‘How not to ruin our clan just because you’re bitter, entitled, and your pride is hurt’. Which would’ve been bearable if the man hadn’t looked so damn smug when he saw him.

“Farmer Mike.” The title, accurate though it may have been, rankled, and Mike exposed as little of his throat as he could get away with without his great-great-great-grandmother snapping at him.

“Levin.” She almost did anyway, at the lack of title used in his response. It was the height of rudeness to speak so casually with somebody who wasn’t kin or a close friend, but Mike would be damned if he acknowledged any more of Kevin’s higher status in this culture than he absolutely had to. Thankfully he seemed to be fine with it, perfectly calm even as behind him the head of the clan was leveling Mike with her most withering stare. He stayed strong, bolstering himself with his own sense of ego and dignity. “What brings you all the way out here?”

“Tennysons wanted a roadtrip,” Kevin replied with a shrug, “figured I’d take the chance to visit the homeworld and since I was already here, make sure you were alive.” Technically, this was nice of him, but there was nothing to be gained by acknowledging it. He was saved from the risk of having to by a brief call of “Just barely!” from the nearest tunnel.

“There are animals that need tending, Crysie,” their gran called with negative amusement. All the patience there was to be found with her impulsive children being less than perfectly polite was already being used to keep her from locking Mike in a storeroom never to be seen again. At least until Kevin’d gone. Which wasn’t likely to come soon, given he’d started laughing.

“Still probably doing better than the Tennysons.”

“I wouldn’t count on it!”

“ _Chores_ , Crysie!” Kevin shook his head as the three of them listened to the clacking of Crysie’s claws against the tile as he scuttled off up the tunnel. He gave Mike an amused smile.

“Show me your clothes.” Mike raised an annoyingly poorly tended brow, eyes narrowing.

“Why?”

“Trust me.” He did not trust him, he refused to trust him, but the look his gran was giving him made it clear that he would do as asked if he knew what was good for him. She would _find_ worse chores than what he already had. What those could be, he couldn’t imagine and didn’t want to find out.

Mike’s room was shared with a handful of his cousins, with their clothes stored in three stone chests in an alcove in one wall. Kevin settled in on one of the mats strewn about- specifically Mike’s, annoyingly enough- and watched as he began laying out his limited supply of clothes. He nodded approvingly at each hand-me-down, something that annoyed Mike even further, but his real attention was on the cloak carefully placed off to the side. It was the only new thing Mike owned right now, a sage-colored piece made of scaled leather. Since he didn’t have the scutes or matter-absorbing powers of his kin it made going out into the whirling wind and sand more comfortable, and kept the worst of the sun off.

“Okay,” Kevin said, pulling it into his lap with enough care that Mike couldn’t get _too_ aggravated at him for it, “this right here? The Tennysons have been wearing like, three, every time they go out.”

His initial instinct was to let out a snort of laughter at the idea, but that was undignified and his cousins hadn’t yet broken him. Instead Mike tried and failed to keep his expression hatefully neutral, the corners of his lips twitching upward. He didn’t know where Kevin and the Tennysons were holing up- even if he had it wasn’t as if he’d have been able to do anything with the information, given he couldn’t leave the farm without the clan elders’ permission and an escort- but there it was the growing season, and while the weather was mild and calm for Osmos V that was still temperatures in the 80s with two suns in the sky. Wearing _one_ cloak made it overly warm for him, and he had local blood.

“How long are they expected to live?”

“If Ben doesn’t stop glaring at me when he thinks no one is looking, twelve hours; if he _does_ , they’re gonna run out of fresh water in three days tops. Figure we’ll probably leave the planet before then. Day after tomorrow maybe.” Kevin handed the cloak back and Mike hung it over his arm, looking the other hybrid over.

“And yet you’re here.” Again, Kevin shrugged in response.

“Hate to say it, Sparkles, but at this point I’m the next best thing to responsible for you. Far as I know you still intend to come back to Bellwood at some point, I’m the one who sent you here in the first place, and I’m the closest we’ve got to holyfolk out there. Between all that, it’s on me to keep an eye on how you’re doing.” Mike resisted the urge to huff. The fact that Bellwood was Levin territory rankled at him, especially since it had been _Fane_ territory until his grandmother’s disappearance. The fact Kevin’s saving the galaxy had earned him more rank than his breeding did rankled him too. And the less said about the charm of Keal sitting in he and Crysie’s chest- handmade by Kevin himself and delivered soon after Mike had settled in- the more comfortable he would be with the state of existence in general. “Clanhead Anta says you’re doing well, at least.”

He was ninety percent sure that was a lie. At least, he didn’t _feel_ like he was doing better. He was irritable, and tired, all the farmwork left him sore, he could hardly concentrate some days, and he struggled to sleep properly. It was nice having a proper bed, of a sort, to sleep in again, and actual food to eat, but it didn’t help his nightmares of Incarcecon or that damn bag, or stop his urges to feed on those around him. Anyway how was anyone supposed to do better when they were having to do things like check the feet of animals that were simply too big to exist? Had this man ever seen a demuri? No bug should be bigger than a car, that should’ve been a law of the galaxy.

Some of these feelings must have come through onto his face, because Kevin continued.

“Look, man, you haven’t eaten anyone and supposedly you’re learning some humility, at this point I’ll take it.” He leaned against a copper-studded wall. “Besides, you’re under Keal, healing and growth is sorta one of her things.” Mike smirked.

“I thought growth was more of a Nanel job, _Hero_.” Kevin rolled his eyes in an exaggerated, amused manner. He’d probably heard as much ‘positive reinforcement’ about his own patron goddess as Mike had about his at this point.

“Well Keal _is_ her spawn, she inherited some things. Anyway, if I can improve you can, and they’ve got our backs on it.” Mike hummed in his back of his throat, leaning against the opening of the alcove.

“So, is this your version of a holy pep talk?” Another shrug.

“Pretty much. How was it?”

“Fairly shit.”

“Not surprised.”

“You know,” Mike said, “if anything is going to keep me from going back home, it’s the thought of you being the closest thing I have to a priest available.” Kevin grinned.

“Could be worse, at least Bellwood _has_ someone now. There wasn’t shit after dad died.”

“True.” Mike, being younger than Kevin by half a year, couldn’t remember Devin well, but the rest of the pack, including his father, had always had good things to say about how he handled being the closest to the gods out of anyone there. He hadn’t been a Hero, not until his death had he even been one of the holyfolk, but he’d been granted a quest by the gods and that was enough for the Osmosian population of Earth. He’d even been the one to make Mike’s original charm. After he’d died, well, Mike had gotten to hear a lot of adults complaining about the lack of religious guidance available. Still- “The idea of you running a temple is terrifying.” Kevin snorted.

“Yeah, try it from this end. But,” he took a deep, almost pained breath, “we need _something_ , and I’m already there.” Mike hummed again, then began repacking his clothes. Lack of titles notwithstanding, this discussion was getting a little _too_ familiar for their relationship these past few years. They’d been close as small children- though he, Helen, and Manny had always been closer, due to their all being born in the same three month span- but that had all gone to shit this past while and they weren’t close enough for this sort’ve talk. By the way Kevin let the room lapse into silence, he had to assume he agreed.

“So,” he asked once he was done, unwilling to let the silence pass on into awkwardness, “how long can I expect you to darken my dens?” His gran hadn’t followed them, but he could feel her displeasure at that comment even as he said it. Kevin snorted and grinned toothily at him.

“I’m considering Nanny McPhee-ing it, just hang around until you start liking me again and then vanishing forever.” Mike smirked back.

“You’re moving in then.” With a chuckle, Kevin kicked out in his direction, missing him by a mile, and then climbed to his feet.

“Figure I’m staying at least until dinner. Don’t wanna be rude and skip out on the clan’s hospitality. Besides,” he slung an arm around Mike’s shoulders, “if you can go that long without hitting me, I’ll _know_ you’re making progress.”

He was tempted to hit him right then, just to make a point.

Thinking back, he was fairly certain this was how they’d been as kids too.

Shrugging off Kevin’s arm, Mike leveled him with a steely look that seemed to wash over the other man like water off a duck.

“Well if you’re sticking around, the least you can do is help with some chores. _Some of us_ are being made to work for a living.” Kevin just rolled his eyes and gestured for Mike to lead the way through the den system, just managing to keep pace with the longstrided gait he was learning to keep up with his lankier kin.

“Some of us have _been_ working for a living,” he said, despite Mike visibly ignoring him, “but sure, I’ll gladly watch you do manual labor for a while.”

Yep, _definitely_ tempted. Actually, that was a thought. His cousin was supposed to be trimming the piram’s claws, and some of those girls could be moody at the best of times… Careful to keep his expression and gait even, Mike just barely turned to look behind him.

“Well, if you’re coming along, how would you like to actually _meet_ Crysie?”

~~~~~~~

**

~~~~~~~

Crysie wasn’t laughing at him _out loud_ , but he was doing it in _spirit_ , which was just as bad if not worse. Mike punched him in the arm preemptively.

“Hey, it’s not _my_ fault.”

On the other side of the cavern sat Kevin, almost lost in a pile of piram. One of them- whose name Mike couldn’t pronounce and had therefor changed to Sauron in honor of her attitude- had her colorful head pressed against his chest, croaking for scratches he was all too happy to give. Not a one of the lot had clawed him, stepped on him, bit him, knocked him around, or subjected him to any of the abuse they had piled on Mike since the day he’d first been introduced to them. There was a reason he didn’t work with them anymore like Crysie did. They were evil. And yet, for Levin, they had decided to be absolute kittens.

This time, he couldn’t prevent himself from scowling.

“Gotta admit, Shorty, you sure can pick ‘em.”

“I will hit you again.” Crysie flicked his tail like this was hardly a threat at all. When Mike had arrived he had been given the job of keeping an eye on him, making sure he settled in, and the two had quickly bonded in their own, very ‘only cousin your age at the family reunion’y way. Unfortunately this meant he felt he could tease him.

“Just saying, out of all the people you could’ve lured back to the dens, this is certainly one of them.”

“Crysie, I swear-”

“Relax, Shorty.” He mussed Mike’s hair with the tuft of his tail. “Don’t see why you don’t like him, but you only have to put up with him until dinner is done. You’ll live.”

“But will _he_.” Crysie chirped with another flick of his tail.

“Got a pretty good track record of it so far.”

~~~~~~~

**

~~~~~~~

The less said about dinner the better. Nothing went _wrong_ , per say, it was just, well…

Everyone had a Mike story.

Everyone.

Most of which he’d never wanted to think about again, nonetheless have Kevin hear about.

On the plus? side? Everyone seemed think to Mike was doing better. And being better. Which was, odd. Because he didn’t see it himself, and he’d have thought they were lying if it weren’t for the fact that getting caught lying about his progress would be _worse_ for the clan’s reputation than his not making progress at all. So by the end of the meal he was just, confused. And Kevin, with his smug-ass face, was not helping.

“So, you’re doing good.” He glowered at him.

“You realize, when you leave, I’m eating everyone here just to spite you?”

“I’m pretty sure Clanhead Anta would eat you right back, so go ahead and try.” Holding back a huff, Mike rolled his eyes and waved him off.

“Just get going, I’m sure Gwendolyn wants a full report.” Kevin snorted.

“Oh like they know I’m here. They think I’m visiting a cousin.” That caught Mike by surprise. If nothing else you’d think he’d have learned the last time he wandered off with him.

“The Tennysons don’t know you’re here?” Another patented Kevin shrug.

“Got enough flack when I handed you off to the Empire instead of the Plumbers. And I’m _still_ getting enough flack for preferring you to Little Miss Mindcontrol. Wasn’t gonna open the door to more Tennyson bullshit over this.”

He, really didn’t know how to respond to that. Number one to Kevin still preferring him over somebody, anybody. Number two to Kevin lying out his ass to the Tennysons. Number three, him doing so for the sake of coming and checking how he was doing. That wasn’t how this was supposed to work. Combined with what he’d said before, how did you respond? He blinked several times, then regained his composure.

“Well,” he said. “Have a safe trip.”

“I’ll try,” Kevin replied, “no promises. Just… Enjoy your time here? I don’t know, man, you probably can’t see it but you’ve been a lot less of a shit than normal. It’s a good thing.”

“I’m sure you think so.”

The awkward silence Mike had worked to avoid earlier finally fell over them, leaving the two standing just inside the den system actively not fidgeting. Eventually Kevin broke with a sigh.

“See ya, Morningstar.”

“Eventually.” Mike just barely lifted his chin. “Goodbye, Levin.”

Nodding to him, Kevin turned and headed out into the night, absorbing a skin of stone as he went. Mike watched until his ship had lifted off- carefully, so as to properly manage the winds that only the very best pilots could fly through with any chance of safety- waiting until it had vanished in the dark and dust before turning around and heading back into the depths of the earth.

If anyone asked, he still wasn’t grateful.

If anyone asked.


End file.
